I indicate that the Greens will be supporting this second piece of legislation to implement measures recommended by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The purpose of the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026 is to make a series of amendments to the Defence Act and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act to implement approximately 20 recommendations from the royal commission. The minister says that the intent of the bill is to directly implement 15 recommendations and to support a further 20 recommendations.

This is about changes to both the Defence Act and the compensation arrangements that are going to give some pretty essential support to the health and wellbeing of current and former members of the ADF. It also extends that help to families and requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to address support for families in a fresh manner so that an ADF member's former spouse or partner can continue to get some support, even when they've separated. It's stopping the mental health burden on families when veterans are put through the grinder in Defence and then, sometimes, the grinder in veterans affairs.

We know who often takes that burden: family members. Sadly, too often, the way in which Defence treats serving members, and the way in which veterans affairs treats veterans, leads to significant mental health concerns for veterans. Too often, that can lead to family breakdown. It is wrong to just ignore the partners of those veterans and simply say, 'Actually, you don't count anymore; you don't matter', because the trauma that they've had to live through and support, the family breakdown, all has at its core the injury and the way that injury was dealt with inside Defence. So we think extending support to former spouses and partners in the aftermath of a separation, where it's appropriate, is incredibly important.

The other provisions build on the amendments that were put in the previous bill that we considered, including directly—explicitly—prohibiting persons who had been sentenced to a period of imprisonment for a sexual offence from ever joining the ADF. It is remarkable that that wasn't in the law already, but, with this legislation, that will now become part of the law.

One of the core problems that the royal commission found was that there was not a safe culture to speak up inside Defence—that, if you spoke up, you often got shot down. That is the message we got repeatedly from veterans. It's what the royal commission heard, and it's what my office has heard in our engagement with veterans. It is essential to ensure that, when veterans disclose information—it might be whistleblowing; it might be personal health information; it may be other deeply personal information—they know that it will only be for the purposes of the wellbeing, health and safety of ADF members and that it can't be abused by the hierarchy. This legislation puts that in place.

This is a bill that has been a long time coming. I want to give credit to the brave veterans and serving members of the ADF who gave their evidence to the royal commission and told the truth about the way the Defence Force so often treats its members as disposable. I hope that veterans and serving members of the Defence Force realise, with the broad political support for this legislation, that the Greens and other parties in here don't view current and former members of the Defence Force as disposable. They are people with full lives and families and the right to be treated with respect and decency inside and outside of Defence. This bill goes some way to making that a reality.

I rise today to speak on behalf of the coalition on the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026 and put on record the coalition's support for this bill and its objectives. This legislation is not merely a collection of administrative adjustments or technical tweaks. It represents a significant legislative response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, a royal commission established by the former coalition government.

Every senator in this place carries a heavy responsibility to ensure that those who wear the uniform and those who have worn it receive the support, care and respect their service deserves. We also carry a duty to the families who stand beside them sharing the unique burdens of service life. The coalition recognises the profound importance of these reforms. This bill directly implements 15 recommendations of the royal commission, with a further 20 recommendations supported through its provisions. Its objectives to strengthen the health, wellbeing and safety of our personnel are objectives that the coalition wholeheartedly shares.

For these reasons, the coalition will support this bill in the Senate today. We approach this debate in a spirit of constructive engagement, acknowledging the valuable work of ex-service organisations, advocates and families who have fought for these changes. However, our support is cautious. It is support predicated on the requirement that these reforms deliver genuine, tangible improvements rather than simply adding more layers of administrative complexity to a system that many service personnel and veterans already find difficult to navigate. We must ensure that this legislation is effective, proportionate and capable of delivering the improvements that are needed, recommended and promised.

The measures contained in this bill are intended to place a greater emphasis on the support of our defence personnel and veterans across both the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The royal commission was clear. For too long, the systems designed to support our people have been fragmented. This has resulted in fragmented information systems, resulting in administrative delays, delays in support and, most tragically, missed opportunities to identify and assist those at high risk of suicide or self-harm. By improving coordination between agencies and strengthening access to support services, this bill aims to ensure that the wellbeing of defence members and veterans and their families remains central to service delivery.

In regard to schedule 1 on addressing fragmented information systems, schedule 1 establishes a new legislative framework to support health and safety by breaking down fragmented information systems, it expands the functions of the Repatriation Commission to include wellbeing and transition support and it creates a framework allowing Defence, the DVA and other entities to share information for defined purposes. The intent here is understandable and, in principle, supported by the coalition. We recognise the value of reducing administrative burdens and barriers between agencies to allow for earlier intervention for vulnerable individuals and better integrated service delivery.

The bill's support for the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency and the National Veterans' Data Asset is particularly important as these will enhance our research capabilities and further deepen our understanding of suicide risk factors. In particular, the coalition supports the goal of enabling the earlier transfer of information from Defence to DVA. If this leads to reduced delays in claims processing and ensures veterans receive assistance at their earliest possible opportunity, then we believe that it is a significant and positive step forward.

However, we must always remain vigilant. The collection and sharing of sensitive personal information and data relating to health service delivery and personal circumstances is a matter of the highest gravity. Defence personnel and their families rightly expect that this information will be handled with the highest degree of care and security. While the bill includes requirements for ministerial guidelines and the de-identification of information where practicable, these safeguards require ongoing and rigorous scrutiny. We must ensure that any expansion of information-sharing powers is accompanied by robust protections, clear limitations on use and strong accountability mechanisms. While better data can drive better outcomes, it must not be achieved by placing sensitive information at greater risk of misuse, exposure or unauthorised access. The coalition will closely scrutinise the ministerial guidelines that will help protect this information.

In regard to schedule 2 on modernising Defence health, schedule 2 turns to the Defence health system, seeking to modernise its legislative framework. The Defence health system occupies a unique and often difficult position. Unlike civilian services, it must provide individual care while simultaneously supporting operational readiness and assessing an individual's fitness for service. The royal commission found that existing legislative frameworks have not evolved in step with modern clinical practice in relation to mental health care, clinical governance and the management of health information. The coalition supports the establishment of a clearer statutory framework that clarifies the roles within the system and provides authority for the collection of health information for monitoring and quality assurance. We welcome the alignment of Defence health governance with nationally recognised clinical governance standards. This has the potential to improve transparency and ensure that our personnel have access to high-quality care that meets contemporary expectations.

Providing legal protections for practitioners participating in quality assurance similar to those in civilian systems is also a sensible and necessary step. But, once again, a balance must be struck. While Defence has a legitimate need to access health information to support readiness and safety, we must ensure that the privacy rights of personnel are not unnecessarily eroded. The success of these health reforms will not be measured by the creation of new statutory frameworks but by whether they result in earlier intervention, improved continuity of care and better health outcomes.

In regard to schedule 3 on supporting families, the coalition believes schedule 3 is a critical component of this bill as it recognises that families are the backbone of our Defence community. We know that there is a profound connection between family circumstances, relationship breakdown and an elevated risk of suicide and self-harm. Behind every serving member is often a family sharing the burdens of service—the frequent relocations, the prolonged absences and the immense pressures of operational deployments. We support measures that improve communication between Defence and families, ensuring they are better informed about the supports available to them.

Most importantly, this schedule addresses the harrowing reality of family and domestic violence. It ensures that former partners are not excluded from support services simply because their relationship with a serving member has ended. Facilitating access to assistance for safe separation and improving the safety of victims-survivors are objectives the coalition strongly endorses. However, in the sensitive context of a relationship breakdown, the need for stringent privacy protections is paramount. Families must have confidence that their information is handled appropriately, and we'll be looking closely at the safeguards governing these specific information sharing provisions.

With regard to schedule 4, integrity and service requirements, the schedule focuses on the standards of those who serve, establishing a more structured framework for service eligibility and separation. The coalition firmly believes that those entrusted with our national security must uphold the highest standards of conduct. Public confidence in the Australian Defence Force depends on maintaining a professional, disciplined and trusted military force. We strongly support the principle that individuals convicted and imprisoned for serious violent or sexual offences should be automatically removed from the ADF and ineligible to return. Such conduct is fundamentally incompatible with the leadership and responsibility associated with military service.

These reforms create a more coherent and consistent framework for defence personnel and decision-makers, offering greater clarity and certainty around the processes and standards that apply across a member's service. By more clearly defining legislative requirements and decision-making criteria, they reduce the likelihood of inconsistent, subjective or ad hoc outcomes and support a more transparent and accountable approach throughout Defence. Importantly, the reforms ensure that decisions regarding entry into service, ongoing suitability and separation are grounded in clear principles, fairness and appropriate oversight. In doing so, they enhance confidence in Defence personnel management processes and ensure decisions align with contemporary expectations of integrity, accountability and sound governance.

With regard to schedule 5, the importance of independent oversight, the schedule contains amendments to support the independence and effectiveness of the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission. Independent oversight is not just an administrative hurdle. It is essential for driving lasting change and ensuring that governments remain accountable for delivering meaningful reform. Effective oversight will be the key to ensuring that the lessons of the royal commission are translated into lasting systemic improvements.

In conclusion, while the coalition supports the objectives of this bill, we are mindful of the history of reform in this area. For too many, the system has been a source of frustration rather than support. We must be vigilant to ensure that these reforms do not simply result in further layers of administration. The true measure of this legislation will not be the number of new frameworks created or the breadth of its provisions. It will be the lived experience of ADF personnel, veterans and their families. Will they experience faster claims processing? Will access to services and supports be improved? Will we see earlier and more effective intervention for those at risk? These are some of the metrics by which this parliament and future governments will be judged.

We owe it to our service community to ensure that the legislative framework reflects and supports the purpose it is intended to achieve. We look forward to engaging constructively throughout that process to ensure the legislation is fit for purpose. This bill is a significant step in our national response to the royal commission, a royal commission established, as I said earlier, by the former coalition government. We will support this bill's progression during the course of the Senate's debate. We owe a debt of gratitude to our ADF members, our veterans and their families, and we must always ensure that the systems of support are worthy of their sacrifice. The coalition remains committed to that goal, to supporting the health and wellbeing of those who serve and to supporting those who have served in the past and their families.

I rise to speak in relation to the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026. This directly implements 15 of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Australia owes a lasting debt of gratitude to the servicemen and women of the Australian Defence Force, whose service, courage and sacrifice has helped protect our nation and preserve the values that we hold dear. We owe it to them to ensure that the issues identified by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide are neither ignored nor forgotten but are met with genuine reform and sustained commitment.

The royal commission was established by the coalition in response to longstanding calls from veterans, families and the broader community for a comprehensive examination of the systemic factors contributing to suicide among serving and former defence personnel. In establishing the royal commission, the coalition made clear that its purpose was to identify the changes necessary to reduce the tragic incidence of suicide within the defence and veteran community and to drive meaningful and lasting reform. The findings of the royal commission place a clear responsibility on all of us to strengthen the support systems available to serving members and veterans and their families and to ensure those systems meet the challenges they face. It validated the experiences and concerns that veterans, their families and the ex-service community have been raising for many years.

As parliamentarians, we have an obligation to our defence force and to our veteran community to ensure the issues identified by the royal commission are acknowledged and the necessary action is taken. And this is what the coalition has been doing. Last year, the coalition supported the legislation to establish the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, which was recommendation 122 of the royal commission. In doing so, we listened to serious concerns raised by veterans advocates about Labor's last-minute legislation for the commission. The coalition strongly supports reforms that enhance the health, wellbeing and safety of current and former Australian Defence Force members as well as the families who support them throughout and beyond their service. The findings of the royal commission place a clear responsibility on all of us to strengthen the support systems available to serving members and veterans and their families and to ensure those systems meet the challenges they face.

This bill proposes a range of changes intended to place greater emphasis on the welfare of defence personnel and veterans across both the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. These measures seek to improve coordination between agencies, strengthen access to support services and ensure that the wellbeing of defence members and veterans and their families remains central to service delivery.

Schedule 1 of this bill establishes a new legislative framework to support the health, wellbeing and safety of serving Australian Defence Force personnel and veterans and their families. It responds to the finding of the royal commission that critical information held across defence and veterans systems is often fragmented, resulting in information silos, delays in support and missed opportunities to identify and assist individuals at risk. New information-sharing arrangements in the bill are designed to facilitate access to services and assistance and should result in better and faster delivery for ADF personnel and veterans and their families.

Importantly, the bill contains a clear legislative basis for the collection, use and disclosure of information for the purposes of research, data analysis and evaluation relating to the health, wellbeing and safety of serving and former defence personnel and their families. The stated objective of these provisions is to enable Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs to better understand emerging issues, assess the effectiveness of programs and services and develop evidence based policies that improve outcomes for all those who have served.

The coalition recognises the value of reducing administrative barriers between agencies and improving the way government services are delivered to those who have served our nation. However, the collection and sharing of personal information must always be approached with caution. Defence personnel and veterans and their families rightly expect that sensitive information relating to their service, their health and their personal circumstances will be handled with the highest degree of care and security. For that reason, it is essential that any expansion of information-sharing powers is accompanied by robust safeguards, clear limitations on use and strong accountability mechanisms.

The bill seeks to address these concerns by requiring compliance with ministerial guidelines, providing for information to be de-identified wherever practicable and ensuring that the framework operates consistently with existing obligations under privacy legislation. These safeguards are important, and we will require ongoing scrutiny to ensure that they are both effective and proportionate. The coalition will continue to closely examine whether the proposed protections are sufficient to safeguard the privacy of defence members and veterans and their families while enabling the legitimate research and evaluation activities necessary to improve services and support.

The royal commission also found that the existing legislative framework had not kept pace with contemporary clinical practices and does not adequately support modern approaches to health governance, data management and mental health care. Schedule 2 seeks to modernise the legislative framework governing defence health services and respond to several recommendations made by the royal commission. Given the unique health challenges faced by many defence personnel, the coalition supports efforts to ensure the defence health system operates to the highest possible standards and delivers timely, effective and appropriate care. However, while there is a legitimate need for Defence to access relevant health information to support readiness and safety, safeguards must remain robust and clear to ensure personal health information is used only when necessary and appropriate. As with other elements of this legislation, the effectiveness of these reforms will ultimately be measured by whether they result in improved health outcomes for those who rely upon them.

The royal commission identified that family circumstances, relationship breakdown and family and domestic violence can have a profound effect on the wellbeing of defence members and veterans. Schedule 3 seeks to strengthen legislative support for defence families by recognising the critical role families play in the wellbeing, resilience and long-term health outcomes of serving and former ADF personnel. In doing so, it attempts to give effect to recommendations of the royal commission relating to family and domestic violence, family support and suicide prevention.

The coalition recognises the important contribution defence families make to Australia's national security. Behind every serving member is often a family that shares the burdens of service life, including frequent relocations, prolonged absences, operational deployments and pressures associated with military service. The coalition acknowledges the seriousness of family and domestic violence and supports measures to improve safety for victim-survivors and strengthen pathways to assistance. Families must have confidence that sensitive personal information will be handled appropriately and with strong privacy protections and clear limitations on how information can be used. Ultimately, again, the effectiveness of these reforms will depend on whether they translate into meaningful improvements in support of defence families, better identification of individuals at risk and stronger responses to family and domestic violence.

Schedule 4 establishes a more structured statutory framework governing service eligibility and end-of-service arrangements. The schedule also seeks to strengthen provisions relating to fitness for service and termination of service in circumstances involving serious criminal offending. In particular, it proposes that individuals who are imprisoned for serious violent offences or sexual offences will be automatically separated from the Australian Defence Force and will be ineligible to return to service. The coalition supports the principle that individuals convicted and imprisoned for the most serious violent and sexual offences should not continue to serve in the Australian Defence Force. Such conduct is fundamentally incompatible with the standards expected of those entrusted with the defence of our nation and the leadership responsibilities associated with military service. At the same time, it is important that any framework governing entry to, continuation of and separation from service is accompanied by appropriate procedural safeguards, clear decision-making criteria and effective review mechanisms.

Schedule 5 contains a series of amendments intended to support the effective operation and independence of the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission. These measures are designed to strengthen the commission's ability to perform its oversight and review functions consistent with recommendations made by the royal commission. The coalition recognises the importance of an independent body capable of scrutinising defence and veterans' services, identifying systemic issues and ensuring governments remain accountable for delivering meaningful reform. Effective oversight will be essential if the lessons of the royal commission are to be translated into lasting improvements for defence personnel, veterans and their families.

This bill represents a significant legislative response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. It seeks to improve information sharing across defence and veterans' systems, strengthen support for defence families, modernise governance arrangements with the defence health system, enhance wellbeing and transition supports, and clarify service eligibility and separation arrangements. Veterans and their families should experience faster claims processing and more seamless access to services, and earlier intervention can be identified for those at risk. The true measure of the success of this legislation will be not the breadth of the provisions but whether it delivers the practical improvements in the lives of serving personnel, veterans and their families.

The Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026 is an important piece of legislation, and the Australian Greens are very happy that it will pass through this place today. I want to speak about one element of historic ADF policy that has caused significant harm and mental distress to a number of ADF serving personnel and veterans, and that is the historical discrimination against LGBTQIA+ Australians who served in our defence forces. I acknowledge that historical discrimination against LGBTQIA+ Australians was not limited to the ADF. It was, tragically, fairly broad in its scope in regard to both state and private organisations. However, LGBTQIA+ personnel within the ADF and LGBTQIA+ veterans from the ADF—it has to be acknowledged—did suffer significant distress and did suffer significant harm as a result of discriminatory policy settings within the ADF, and those harms were suffered both during service and in the rest of their post-service lives as veterans.

I understand that the government will soon announce that it intends to issue a formal apology acknowledging any harm experienced by LGBTQIA+ personnel and veterans as a result of historical discriminatory policies within the ADF. I want to say that is a very positive development that has and will have the full support of the Australian Greens. What is critical here is that any apology that might be announced and given by the government is delivered with appropriate formality and at the appropriate levels in the appropriate forum. It is the view of the Australian Greens that this apology should be given by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives.

We've seen apologies given by the Prime Minister in this parliament in previous cases where significant historical wrongs were attempted to be set right, and an apology by the Prime Minister in the parliament would provide for a moment of national reckoning and an opportunity for those who were harmed by discriminatory policies to understand that the apology is sincere and the apology is intended to be meaningful. We need to heal the wounds that deep discrimination has caused, and such an apology in such a way would be a step towards healing those wounds.

There is another step the government should take as well as apologising, and that is the government should provide financial redress for those who were discriminated against and harmed as a result of just being who they were and the impact that that had because of the discriminatory policies of the ADF. I want to place very clearly on the record that I am aware of cases where service personnel suffered loss of employment, loss of income, loss of housing and in many cases severe impacts on their mental health. This was personal suffering, sometimes grievous personal suffering, but it also was suffering inflicted economically and more broadly socially. To be clear, people were dishonourably discharged from the ADF as a result of being queer.

Redress would not compensate for harms caused, but it would go some way to acknowledge the injustices that occurred. Redress for LGBTQ+ service personnel who suffered harms and were discriminated against because of who they were is allowed, permitted and available in places like Canada and the UK. Australia should follow the lead of those two allies of our country and provide for a redress scheme here in Australia.

Last year my home state of Tasmania became the first state to allow financial redress for those charged and convicted under the state's former laws against homosexuality and against crossdressing. The circumstances are not identical, but the harms here are comparable, and the response should be comparable as well. The Greens recommend a Senate inquiry to determine exactly how a redress scheme should be implemented, what the redress amounts should be and how redress amounts should be distributed. Apologies do matter. They have meaning, and they can be incredibly significant for people who suffered as a result of historical discrimination and who were harmed as a result of being punished simply for who they were as people. That is the situation in the ADF. People were harmed and punished just for being who they were.

Apologies do matter, and that's why we believe that an apology in this case, if that is what the government intends to do, should be given by the Prime Minister of the day in this parliament. Everyone that was harmed in such a way because of these discriminatory historical policy settings should be invited and facilitated to come to this place and to hear the apology in person or to participate in other ways around that apology. Apologies do matter, but so does the acknowledgement of harm through the provision of redress. We look forward to the government making this announcement. It does have the full support of the Australian Greens, and I offer in good faith the suggestions that I've made today on behalf of the Australian Greens and indicate that we are open to working constructively with this government to, firstly, make sure the apology is given appropriately, by the right person and to the right people and, secondly, determine the way that a redress scheme should operate.

I'd like to thank senators for their contribution to the debate on the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was a once-in-a-generation opportunity for cultural change within Defence and offers the opportunity to enhance the support for the wellbeing, health and safety of ADF members, veterans and their families. The royal commission commenced on 8 July 2021, and its purpose was to investigate systemic issues contributing to rates of suicide among current and former serving Australian Defence Force personnel.

The Albanese government announced its response to the royal commission on 2 December 2024, and we agreed, or agreed in principle, to 104 of the 122 recommendations. We are working at pace to implement those. The bill before us at the moment, which, of course, is bill No. 2, will amend the Defence Act 1903 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and represents the second tranche of legislation to implement 35 of the royal commission's recommendations.

The reforms in this legislation will deliver direct benefits for defence personnel and for veterans and their families in accordance with the royal commission's recommendations. This includes enhanced information sharing and data analysis to allow for earlier intervention to identify at-risk individuals sooner. It includes strengthened arrangements for the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the new Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency to enhance wellbeing and support those transitioning out of service. Improved defence health services will be established through a legislative framework for approved quality assurance and improvement activities. Stronger protections will be established through mandatory end of service for imprisonment, and entry will be denied for prior sexual offence and violent offence convictions.

The reforms include family support by enabling improved communications to families and safe separation options in circumstances of family and domestic violence. Career and privacy safeguards will be established through ministerial guidelines to prevent the adverse use of health information and reduce barriers to help seeking. We seek better transfer of personal information at transition, from Defence to DVA, reducing the need for veterans to tell their story again and again and supporting timely access to treatment and entitlements. We also seek improved information sharing between Defence, DVA and the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation to reduce delays in compensation and superannuation claims.

The measures in this bill give effect to important recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Those recommendations were informed by extensive evidence received by the royal commission from serving and former defence personnel, families, advocacy organisations, ex-service organisations, experts, Defence, DVA and other stakeholders.

I'm not sure quite how the passage of debate will proceed between now and 1.15, so, while this relates to bill No. 1, I, like Senator McKim, wish to acknowledge a significant reform that is under consideration in this chamber today. The Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 establishes for the first time an extinguishment scheme for historical homosexual service offences. From overturning the ban on homosexual service in the ADF in 1992, the Labor government is now righting this historical wrong. With the passage of this bill, current and former defence personnel and their families will be able to apply to have their historical consensual homosexual service offences extinguished, meaning they cannot be used for any purpose. The government acknowledges and deeply values the service of our defence personnel. This amendment provides a pathway for recognising the discriminatory practices of the past. The government will make a formal apology, acknowledging the harm experienced by LGBTIQA+ personnel and veterans as a result of historical discriminatory practices, at the appropriate time.

In concluding, I wish to thank our serving personnel, our veterans, the families and the ex-service organisations who continue to engage as we undertake these important reforms. I table an addendum to the explanatory memorandum relating to the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026. The addendum responds to matters raised by the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.